As a modern brewery, we feel incredibly lucky to be able to brew with one of the oldest yeast strains in the UK.
JW Lees Brewery has been operating independently right here in Manchester since 1822 and we have the privilege of exclusively using the strain of their Ale yeast throughout our whole Proper DIPA series. Yeast can sometimes be a bit of an unsung hero of beer ingredients but we are here to celebrate it together with JW Lees. Through delicately controlled, stress-free brewing, careful harvesting and storage, the brewers have been able to re-pitch the yeast for every brew of JW Lees Bitter for 57 years. The characteristics of JW Lees heritage yeast are unlike any other strain we’ve brewed with. Combining it with bold modern hops gives us a flavour that is utterly unique in the world of craft beer.
Our love for beer means we don’t just care about the current buzzing scene, we also care about the trailblazers that came before us. Working with JW Lees is something we’re passionate about because beer’s breadth, complexity and variety of flavours is its greatest strength.
We’re proud of Manchester for being at the forefront of yet another development that takes the best of our local heritage and brings it to a new audience through a modern twist.
Our 8th DIPA in our Proper DIPA series is out this week, called Proper DIPA NZ edition, a perfect example of the beautiful things that happen when modernity meets tradition.
We’ve infused Southern Cross and NZ Cascade to accentuate the JW Lees yeast strain. This DIPA excels in both body and hop intensity, delivering a hearty hop medley characterised by quintessential NZ hop aromas of white grape, all culminating in an exceptionally dank finish.
